Electric gas-lighter



(No Model.)

T. W. LANE.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER.

No. 444,706. Patented Jan. 18, 1891 \X/IIFIEESEE.

"rm: NORRIS FETEfls ca, FHOTD-UYNO, WASHING m n c UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

THOMAS \V. LANE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELEC- TRICGAS LIGHTING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,706, dated January13, 1891.

Application filed June 13, 1889. Serial No. 314,097. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. LANE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticElectric Gas Burners, of which the following is a full and completespecification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of single-circuitautomatics, so called, in which but one electric circuit is utilized forall the electrical functions of the apparatus, and is illustrated inLetters Patout to E. E. Bailey, of May1,1888,No. 382,249,

and in a pending application by myself filed June 13, 1889, Serial No.314:,098, for improvements therein, and will be more clearly understoodby reference to the drawings, (twice enlarged) in which-- Figure 1 is afront elevation of such a burner as my invention relates to. Fig. 2 is aside ele'xation, one arm of the magnet being absent. Fig. 3 is a detailshowing the base, and a part of the gas-pillar, pawl-carrying 2 5 bar,and pawl, spring, and ratchet-wheel affixed to the gas-cock, all showingthe relative position when the armature is down upon the magnet.

The object of my invention is to utilize in automatic electricgas-burners a ratchet wheel and continueusly-rotating gas plug or cook,in connection with a single electric circuit for both the operations oflighting and of extinguishing the gas.

3 5 In order to clearly explain the scope of my invention, Iwill firstrefer to earlier apparatus for automatic electric gas-burners, in whichthe force of electricity turns the gas-cock, vibrates the electrodes,and furnishes an elec- 0 tric spark.

In 1871 J. P. Tirrell patented (Nos. 121,301 and 121,302) apparatus, thelatter form of which energized a magnet, whose armature at one movementopened the cock and caused the contact and separation of fixedelectrodes; but these electrodes were not in circuit with that magnet,but were in another electric circuit, coming from another battery, whosecurrent furnished the igniting-spark, The firstmentioned burnerenergized a magnet whose armature operated a pawl step by step against aratchet-wheel connected with the gas-cock, thus gradually opening it,while the armature also operated the circuit-breaker, the lightingcurrent being supplied from another circuit. For both, it will thus beseen, two circuits were necessary to turn on and light the gas, and athird circuit to turn it off.

In 1872 Tirrell patented (No. 130,770) an apparatus in which by theaction of the cur 6o rent through one magnet the gas-cock andcircuit-breaker were both operated and the igniting-spark supplied.Later, Tirrell, in No. 230,500, applied this idea of a single circuitfor the three operations of turning the 6 cock, moving thecircuit-breaker, and furnishing the spark to a burner in which one motion of the armature, as in No. 121,302, entirely opened the cock, usinga second magnet and circuit to close the valve and in 1 0. 280,580 hemodified the ratchet-wheel devices of No. 130,770.

In 1888, Bailey, No. 382,210), showed an apparatus utilizing only onecircuit and one magnet, not only for these three lighting operations,butalso for the extinguishing of the gas. IIis device for this consisted ofmechanism by which he aflixes to the gas-cock a block having tworecesses. The rod or bar carrying the movable electrode has a pawladapted, upon the electrode being carried downward by the stroke of thearmature, to gear with the recesses. hen the valve is shut and it isdesired to light the gas, the current is admitted by the usualpush-button 8 5 to the magnet, which attracts the armature, whichdepresses the rod, whose upper end carries the movable electrode, whichis thus separated from the fixed electrode supplying the spark. Uponthis rod is a pawl, which is at 0 the same time forced into the deeperrecess of the block, moving it sidewise, thereby partially turning thegas-cock, so as to open it. The circuit being broken, the armature iswithdrawn, carrying the electrode into 0011- 5 tact with the fixedelectrode, but not lifting the pawl entirely out of the recess, so thatupon the magnet being re-energized by the contact of the electrodes arepetition of the separation of the electrodes maybe continued so longas the push-button is depressed. When that pressure is relieved thearmature will recede so far as to lift the pawl out of the recess, andwhen it is desired to extinguish the gas a touch upon the button-willenergize the magnet, attract the armature, and so bring the pawl intothe second recess, tilting the block back again and closing the cock.. Ihave improved this construction in my aforesaid application, Serial No.314,098, of even date with this.

WVith this explanation of the state of the art my present invention willby the aid of the drawings be easily understood.

A is the lower and B the upper platform; 0, the'pillar, havingpreferably the lava tip D. To the collar Ei s-fixed in an insulatedmanner the electrode ff, connected by wire G to the magnet 11, whichrests upon the platform A, and is connected by a wire (not shown)running .to a push-button, by which connection is made with the battery(not shown) in the ordinary manner. The movable .electrode .J has aplatinum point normally incontact with f by force of the helical springILand is loosely socketed in the pawlcarrying bar g at L, so that notuntil near the end ofits downward movement does it move theelectrode Jagainst the stress of-the-sprin g K out of contact with f, ashereinafter explained. The bar g is controlled by the armature M, whichis riveted to the pillar at M by means of an angle-iron N, attached atN, into which, at 0, plays loosely apin P, affixed to or projecting fromthe armature. Toallow of some-play of the armature the bar g is recessedat g.

4 is a ratchet-wheel =rigidl y affixed to the stem 3,0f a gas-cock whoseways are in number in proportion to the teethof the ratchet, sothat theniotionof the ratchetone tooth willalternately admitand .shut off thegas.

This ratchet and cockare operatedby apawl' 1, pivoted to preferably thepawlrcarrying bar g on its inner side, so as to gear with the teeth ofthe ratchet.

Inconstructing the apparatus the proportions must be such that at onecomplete downward sweep of the armature the ratchet will be rotatedIonetooth and .the movable electrode, separated fromthe fixed. electrode,and so=thatbeforethe armature is withdrawn farenoughto lift the pawlfree of thetooth the-twoelectrodes will again come into contact.

To insure the pawl 1 returning to a perpendicular position, a, fiatspring 2. isfastened to theside of the bar. g andv extends upwardandprojects beyondg, so as tobe pressed by theheador upperpart of thepawl lwhen it is carriedgoutof a'perpendicular position by theratchet-wheel, as shown in all a the figures- I find it'well'to allowthe opposite stem of. the

valve to project at 5, and be held in place by a forked" spring 6;secured at '7, and passing over an adjustable fulcrum or screw at 8.

The operation of my invention will now be easily understood. Supposingthe valve to be closed, the current will be admitted to the magnet II bythe ordinary press-button and the armature attracted, thus forcing thepawl to turn the ratchet one tooth, opening the valve and alsoseparating the electrodes. This ruptures the circuit and deenergizes themagnet, releasing the armature; but before the armature has receded farenough to lift the pawl 1 out of the tooth the electrodes have unitedand restored the circuit, causing the magnet to again attract thearmature, and so again breaking the cir- 1 This make and break willcontinue so long as the press-button .is .depressed, and

cuit.

thus a shower of sparks sufiicient vto light the gas at the burner-tipwill be caused. When the gas is lighted and the press-button released,the armature-wilhrecede sofar as to lift the pawl 1 out of the tooth,and the spring 2 will bring the pawl to a position-to engage with thefollowing tooth ofthe ratchet.

WVhen it is desired to extinguish thegas, another depression of thebutton willenergi ze =the1nagnet,-attract the armature, force 'the pawlinto the succeeding tooth, rotate the ratchet one tooth, and close thevalve. ,If the teeth are made of alternate.depths,.the depression attheturning-01f movementneed not besuflicient-to separate the electrodes ormake a spark.

Having nowdescribed ,mysaid invention, I do notclaim the burner as anentirety, so

far as covered in theLetters Patent and ap 7 2, and ratchet wheel4,-rigidly attached tothe gas-cock 3,.having teeth in proportion to itsways and adapted and arranged to permit a series of vibrations of thepawl without further revolution of the ratchet, substantially asdescribed.

. 3. Ina gas=lightin g device, the combination 'of .a rotatinggas-cockwhose spindle is at- ;tachedto a ratchet-wheel having the number of itsteeth in proportion to the numberof gasways through the cock, so as toalternately t'urn'on andoff the gas, a pawl torotate' said. cook, aspark-producing device, and an 'electro-magnet and its armature tooperate.-

said devices, the circuit of the electro-mag- In Witness whereof I havehereunto subnet being controlled by the movement of the scribed my namein the presence of two wit- [0 armature, and the teeth of said ratchetbeing nesses. of such depth in relation to the play of the H ,T T

5 pawl that the ordinary spark-producing vi- HIOMAS LAAE' brations willnot permit said pawl to gear \Vitnesses: with the following tooth untilthe circuit is NATHANIEL U. VALKER, permanently opened. EDWARD P.PAYSON,

